There, I've done it. On time too. A lot of things were taken from the GoF book itself, but I added my own things to it. I loved some of the things I got to write; it was a lot of fun. Anyway, my next update will be around September 1st.
Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. They really make my day!
Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.
Chapter 7: I'm Actually Excited for School
Percy POV
(Time Skip from last chapter)
Before Mr. Weasley had to leave and go help out his friend Mad-Eye Moody, he ordered us mortal, or muggle, taxis to take us to King's Cross. I mean cabs. I was very relieved for the normal, non-magical transportation.
I shared a cab with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. I sat shotgun while the three sat in the back. Mrs. Weasley didn't trust the twins to be on their own so she and Ginny got into a cab with them. Bill and Charlie were going to apparate, and Percy was somewhere. I wasn't sure where, but I didn't care to think to much on it.
We arrived at King's Cross and got everyone's giant trunks and animals onto carts. I mean trolleys. I had the least amount of baggage so while I was waiting I asked where we were going to board the train. Ron looked at me funny and said, "Platform 9 3/4 of course."
Hermione hit his shoulder, "Ron, he's probably never heard of the Hogwarts Express because he's never been here."
With that we a left towards platform 9 3/4. I thought that it was weird there was a fraction included, but I shrugged it off thinking it was a British thing. I was wrong.
We all rolled our stuff up to a barrier that divided platforms 9 and 10.
"Where's platform 9 3/4?" I asked confused. I was half expecting them to laugh and say they were just pulling my leg.
They did laugh, but apparently seemed to be dead serious.
Hermione said, "This is the entrance to the platform. You have to go through the barrier of 9 and 10."
"Harry dear, why don't you show him." Mrs. Weasley said.
Harry positioned his trolley in line with a barrier. Then he ran forward. My heart nearly leapt through my chest when he went through the wall instead of crashing into it. My eyes got big and my mouth hang open.
The twins snickered and followed Harry, disappearing through the barrier.
I realized we were in the middle of King's Cross with a bunch of mortals.
"Hold on, I thought you guys didn't have the Mist. How do the mor-erm muggles not see you?" I questioned.
Hermione answered saying, "There are loads of magical wards around the barrier. Most muggles can't even look at straight at the barrier since the wards make it so muggles want to avert there eyes elsewhere. If a muggle does see, there are obliviaters standing by.?
"What are obliviaters?" I asked.
This time Ginny spoke, "They're memory modifiers. Or wipers depending on who you ask."
"Oh." I said.
"Alright, Percy. Your turn, we'll be right behind you. Just run at the barrier and you'll go through."
I turned my trolley so I was facing the barrier. I gripped my trolley and ran. I was about to dig my feet into the floor and turn but I kept going. Going through the barrier was weird but not unpleasant. The feeling was hard to explain.
I came into a platform filled with many witched and wizards saying goodbye to each other. There was a gleaming scarlet steam engine that said Hogwarts Express. It was amazing and made me smile. Harry beckoned me over to him. Ron and Hermione joined us a few seconds later.
"I already saved us a compartment, you should put your luggage there." Harry said.
He lead us to about halfway down the train and we dropped our stuff off. We ran back out for last goodbyes. Bill and Charlie were there with Mrs. Weasley. Ginny and the twins came shortly after.
"I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," said Charlie, grinning, as he hugged Ginny goodbye.
"Why?" asked Fred keenly.
"You'll see," said Charlie. "Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it... it's classified information, until such time as the ministry sees fit to release it after all."
"Yeah, I sort of wish I we're back at Hogwarts this year," said Bill, hands in his pockets looking wistfully at the train.
"Why?" said George impatiently.
"You're going to have an interesting year," said Bill, his eyes twinkling. "I might even get time off to come and watch a bit if it..."
"A bit of what?" said Ron.
At that moment the whistle blew, and Mrs. Weasley pulled everyone in for one last hug. I stood there a bit awkwardly feeling like this was a private family thing. I was surprised when I felt Mrs. Weasley grab my arm and pulled me into the hug.
"You may have only been here for a few days, but you are part of the family too" she said.
I blushed and she chivvied us to the train doors.
"Thanks for having us stay, Mrs. Weasley." said Hermione as we climbed on board, closed the door, and then leaned out the window.
"Yeah thanks for everything, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry.
I said my thanks too.
"Oh it was my pleasure, dears," said Mrs. Weasley. "I'd invite you for Christmas, but... well, I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with... one thing and another."
"Mum!" said Ron irritably. "What d'you three know that we don't."
I was just as confused as everyone else. I felt oddly glad that I wasn't the only one confused for once.
"You'll find out this evening, I expect," said Mrs. Weasley, smiling. "It's going to be very exciting-mind you, I'm very glad they've changed the rules-"
"What rules?" said everyone together.
"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you... Now, behave, won't you? Fred? and you George?"
The train hissed and began to move.
"Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!" Fred bellowed out the window as Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie moved away from us. "What rules are they changing?"
By then the platorm was gone and we went back to our compartment. It was raining hard and it was difficult to see out the window.
"Bagman wanted to tell us what's happening at Hogwarts, "said Ron sitting down next to Harry."At the World Cup, remember? But my own mother won't say. Wander what-"
"Shh!" Hermione whispered suddenly, pressing a finger to her lips and pointing to a compartment next to ours. We listened and the most irritating voice started to drift threw our open door.
"...Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion on Dumbledore- the man's such a mudblood-lover- and Durmstrang doesn't allow that sort of riffraff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a for more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defense rubbish we do..."
Hermione got up and closed the compartment door, blocking out the voice.
"So he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him, does he?" she said angrily. "I wish he had gone, then we wouldn't have to put up with him."
"Who is him?" I asked.
"That was Malfoy. He thinks he's above everyone because he comes from a very famous line of purebloods. He's a prat and tries to make our lives a living hell." Ron said angrily as well.
"Malfoy is just a pathetic bully." Harry said.
"He sounds like a real charmer. I know exactly how to get on his nerves." I smirked.
"How?" asked Hermione.
I just winked, "Irritating people is a specialty of mine."
The rain started to pour down harder.
"What will we do when we get there?" I ask.
"Well, there will be a sorting ceremony for the first years and then we'll all eat dinner and go to bed. Classes are optional for the first few days but Hermione always makes us go." Harry said.
"Sorting ceremony?" I said.
"Don't they have sorting ceremonies at Ilvormorney? There are four houses at Hogwarts: Gryffindor for the brave, Ravenclaw for the smart, Hufflepuff for the loyal, and Slytherin. Slytherin is not a good house to be. Most wizards go dark in that house. What are the houses at Ilvormorney?" Hermione said.
I didn't know how to answer her so I asked, "Will I have to be sorted? What houses are you guys in?"
They all said Gryffindor.
"I suppose you'll have to be sorted if you are going to be at Hogwarts." Harry said.
Hermione's eyes widened as if she remembered something, "Percy, what did you mean when you said something about us not having the Mist back at King's Cross.?"
I nearly choked on air. "Oh, um, Styx..." I mumbled that last part under my breath.
At that moment the compartment door opened, revealing a white blond weasle kid and two bigger boys in the back.
"I thought I smelled something foul coming from next door. Now I know why." said the blond kid. I'm guessing Malfoy judging by his voice.
"What do you want Malfoy." said Harry with distaste.
"Oh nothing that has to do with you and your filthy friends. I see you have the new student with you. Father was telling us that we were having an exchange student."
He turned to me and held out his hand.
"I'm Malfoy. You should come with me before Potter corrupts you. It's unfortunate that you were sent to stay with the Weasleys rather than us. They can barely support themselves as it is. Come with me and I can make your life great."
I didn't say a word to him. I didn't look at him or even acknowledge he was there. Instead, I turned to my friends who were very red in the face and asked, "When do we need to change into our robes for school?"
Everyone looked surprised. Hermione stuttered, "Oh um, not for a little while."
"Hello, weren't you listening to me?" Malfoy asked.
Again, I didn't look at him. I turned to Ron and asked him about Quidditch. His face lit up and he started to tell me all about it. Harry joined into the conversation as well, and Hermione just listened. We actually did forget Malfoy was there for a minute.
I heard Malfoy scoff like he couldn't believe I completely ignored him He probably didn't believe it. I smirked knowing I had struck a cord with him. Once I heard about him, I knew he loved attention. I've seen it in plenty of my bullies. At least now I could do something about it by doing absolutely nothing.
I smirked when Malfoy slammed the compartment door shut, scaring Pigwidgen(Ron and Ginny's owl). Pig started to screech and hoot so Ron pulled some old maroon robes out of his trunk and threw it over the cage to silence him.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron's friends stopped by soon. There was Seamus, Dean, and Neville. Everyone discussed the World Cup. I just listened and looked out the window. I now had an understanding of Quidditch, and I knew I could never play it. It's best for me to keep my feet on the ground.
Neville didn't get to go to the Cup so Ron was telling him about it.
"We saw Krum right up close as well." said Ron, "We were in the Top Box-"
"For the first and last time in your life Weasley." Malfoy, who appeared in the doorway again, said. I learned that his goons were Crabbe and Goyle.
"Don't remember inviting you back the last time you were here." Harry said coolly.
"Weasley... what is that?"Malfoy said pointing at Pigwidgen's cage. A sleeve of Ron's dress robes was dangling from it, swaying with the motion of the train, the moldy lace cuff very obvious.
Ron tried to put it away, but Malfoy grabbed it before he could. He showed it off to everyone.
"Weasley, were you thinking of wearing these? He laughed haughtily.
Ron was as red as those robes.
"I suppose you'll have to enter. If you win I suppose you'll be able to bring some glory to your family name. There will also be money involved, maybe then you'll be able to afford decent robes if you won... I suppose you will enter Potter. You never miss a chance to show off do you?" Malfoy went on.
"What are you talking about?" snapped Ron.
A smile spread across Malfoy's face. "Don't tell me you don't know. You have a father and brother in the ministry and you don't even know? My father told me ages ago... heard it from Cornelius Fudge himself. I suppose your father is not important enough to know about it Weasley, that's why you don't know."
Ron, Harry, and Hermione all had steam coming out of their ears. I decided to intervene. I got up and pushed Malfoy out the door.
"Yes, thank you for your input." I said. (That line is from Sherlock, I thought it was perfect.)
Before I could shut the compartment door all the way, Malfoy's foot blocked the door.
"Who do you think you are?" he said.
I straightened and looked down at Malfoy I gave him a mild glare, daring him to try and scare me. "I'm Percy Jackson."
With that I nudged his foot away from the door and shut it.
I turned around to my gaping friends.
"How did you do that?" Neville asked.
"I didn't let him have power over me. Besides, I've dealt with worse." I said coolly.
After a little while, Seamus, Dean, and Neville left. Hermione suggested we get changed into our robes. I'm ashamed to say that I needed help dressing myself. Wizard robes are confusing to put on. After 10 minutes of engaging in a battle of fisticuffs with the black material, Harry took pity on me and helped.
After everyone was ready, we fell into a heated conversation about the coming school year.
The Hogwarts Express stopped at last at Hogsmeade station and the doors opened. Everyone bundled their animals up and went out into the rain. I had to let myself get wet in order to stay undercover and it sucked. I was freezing.
A gigantic silhouette loomed over us and instinctively my hand moved to my pocket where Riptide was.
"Hi Hagrid!" Harry yelled.
"All righ', Harry" Hagrid bellowed back waving. "See yeh at the feast if we don' drown!" With that Hagrid left with all the first years.
The rest of us piled onto carriages pulled by the strangest horses I had ever seen.
"Welcome Lord. We are honored that you are here in our presence."
"What are the horses pulling the carriages? I asked.
Hermione's looked at me confused, "Percy, there is nothing pulling the carriages."
All thoughts on the subject were lost when a grand castle came into sight. It was old, and I could feel magic radiating from it. It was amazing and suddenly I wished Annabeth was here to see it. She would have loved it.
The carriages were pulled through gates flanked with statues of winged boars. I had to fight a flashback of the Clazmonian Sow I had to fight. We made it to the castle and everyone jumped out of the carriages and dashed up the stone steps into the entrance.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned to me and said, "Welcome to Hogwarts." We were soaked and freezing but we smiled and didn't care. The hallway we were standing in was huge and lead to the Great Hall.
There was an older lady waiting at the entrance. She caught my eye and gestured for me to come to her. I reluctantly left my friends and told them to go on.
"Ah, you must be Mr. Jackson. I'm Professor McGonagall. You will be sorted along with the first years and then the feast will begin. I suggest you follow me." She said.
I followed her and soon the first years and I were standing in the middle of four long tables. Each table had a different color, and had golden plates and goblets gleaming on them and were packed with students. The ceiling had hundreds of floating candles and looked like the sky. I stood in wonder at the magic in this place.
"When I call your name you will sit on the stool and I will place the sorting hat on your head and you will be sorted." Professor McGonagall said.
She picked up an old, dirty, patched wizards hat and put it on the stool. Everyone stared at it and then it did the unexpected. It started to sing.
A thousand years or more ago,
when I was newly sewn,
There lived four wizards of renown,
Whose names are still well known:
Bold Gryffindor, from the Moor,
Fair Raven, from glen,
Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad,
Shrewd Slytherin, from fen.
They shared a wish, a hope, a dream,
they hatched a daring plan
to educate young sorcerers
Thus Hogwarts school began.
Now each of these four founders
Formed their own House, for each
Did value different virtues
In each ones they had to teach.
By Gryffindor, the bravest were prized far beyond the rest;
For Ravenclaw, the cleverest
Would always be the best;
For Hufflepuff, hard workers were
Most worthy of admission;
And power hungry Slytherin
Loved those of great ambition.
While still alive they did divide
Their favorites from the throng,
Yet how to pick worthy ones
When they were dead and gone?
Twas Gryffindor who found the way,
He whipped me off his head
The founders put some brains in me
So I could choose instead!
Now slip me snug about your ears,
I've never yet been wrong,
I'll have a look inside your mind
And tell you where you belong!
The Great Hall erupted in applause. I did too, that hat had skills to rival Apollo. I chuckled at the thought of Apollo and a hat having a rhyme off. Then I noticed everyone was silent.
Professor McGonagall started to read everyone's names. "Ackerley, Stewart!"
A trembling boy walked forward and sat on the stool. The hat was placed on his head.
"RAVENCLAW!" The hat shouted.
Soon everyone has been sorted and I was left standing all alone, all eyes on me.
"Jackson, Perseus."McGonagall said.
Suddenly I was very nervous and I walked unsurely to the stool. I sat down and the sorting hat was placed on my head...
I thought that was a great place to end it. I wonder which house it will be...
Again, thank you so much for reading and I hope you will let me know how the story is doing. Until next time :)
